El tigre (Spider Man 2)
by May 16 writer
Summary: Sequel to the first.
1. Chapter 1

"She looks at me everyday. Frida Suarez." He said looking at a billboard of her. "Oh boy. If she only knew how I felt about her. But she can never know, I made a choice once to live a life of responsibility. A life she can never be a part of. Who am I? I'm El tigre, given a job to do. And I'm Manny Rivera, and I too, have a job."

"Rivera! Rivera!" His boss cried.

Manny drove is scooter over to where he worked.

"Rivera, you're late man! Always late!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Aziz. There was a disturbance." He said shoving his mask in his pocket.

"Another disturbance. Always a disturbance with you." He said. "Come on, 21 minutes ago, in comes order. Harmattan, Burton, and Smith. Eight extra-large deep-dish pizzas. In eight minutes, I am defaulting on Joe's 29 minute guarantee. Then, not only am I receiving no money for these but I will lose the customer forever to Pizza Yurt!"

He handed him the boxes.

"Look you're my only hope, all right? You have to make it in time." He said. "Manny, you're a nice kid. But you're just not dependable. This is your last chance, you have to go 42 blocks in 7 1/2 minutes or your ass is fired."

Manny scooted as fast as he could but traffic was nasty. He could barely get through with all the cars blocking his way. Then he got an idea. He ran into an alley, spun his belt, and decided to deliver them El tigre style. However this wasn't unnoticed by a random person.

"Whoa! He stole that guy's pizzas!"

He swung through town desperately trying to get to the address on time. But his trip was interrupted when he saw two kids running in front of a moving truck. He put the pizzas aside and saved the kids.

"Hey, you guys, no playing in the street." He said.

"Yes, Mr. El tigre." They said.

"See ya."

The pizzas he had left were found by a hobo. He was about to eat one when El tigre swung back and grabbed them.

"I'll take that!"

He got to where the address was but he was late.

"Pizza time." He said.

"You're late." The lady said. "I'm not paying for those."

...

"Joe's 29 minute guarantee is a promise, man." His boss said. "I know to you Rivera, a promise means nothing. But to me, it's serious."

"It's serious to me too, Mr. Aziz." Manny said.

"You're fired, go!"

"Please! I need this job!"

"You're fired!" He said.

"You're fired!" Emiliano said when Manny got to the bugle. "Rivera? Hello? You're fired."

"Why?"

"Dogs catching frisbees, pigeons in the park, a couple of geezers playing chess. "

"The bugle could show another side of Miracle City." Manny said.

"I don't pay you to be a sensitive artist. I pay because that pyscho El tigre will pose for you."

"He won't let me take any more pictures. You turned the whole city against him."

"A fact I'm very proud of."

"Please! Isn't there any of these shots you can use? I need the money."

"Aw! Miss Brant. Get me a violin."

Later at that day he bumped into his teacher Mr. Tonino.

"Where were you headed Rivera?"

"Your class."

"My class is over." He said "Look at you Manny, your grades are steadily declining, you're late for class. You always appear exhausted. Your paper on fusion is still overdue."

"I know. I'm planning to write a paper on Dr. Felix Montero."

"Planning is not a major." He said. "Montero is a friend of mine. Better do your research Rivera. Get it done or I'm failing you."

Manny rode his scooter to his mother's house. She had called saying that she needed help with something. He went inside.

"Surprise!"

Davi, Frida, and Maria had thrown a party.

"What's the occasion?" Manny said.

"Really, Manny. It's your birthday!" Maria said. "Weather you want to remember it or not."

"He lives in another reality. Don't you Manny." Frida said.

"Hi Frida. Hey buddy!" Manny said.

"Hey." Davi said.

"Long time no see." Frida said.

"So how's the concert? I read a great review."

"It's going great."

"She's brilliant!" Davi said. "So where you been pal? You don't return my calls."

"I've been busy."

"Taking pictures of your friend El tigre? How's the cat these days?"

"The less you see of that man the better." Maria said. "Now let's have something to eat."

"I'll get the hors d'oeuvres." Frida said.

They went into the kitchen to get the food.

"So how are things at the company?" Manny asked Davi.

"They're great. I'm head of special projects. We're about to make a breakthrough on fusion."

"Oh, how lovely Davi. Your father would be so proud, rest his soul."

"Thank you. We're really actually funding one of your idols, Manny. Dr. Felix Montero."

"I'm writing a paper on him."

"You wanna meet him?"

"You'd introduce me?"

"You bet. Montero is gonna put the company on the map in a way my father never dreamed of."

"Frida, could you give me a hand?" Maria asked.

Davi and Manny both looked at Frida.

"She's waiting on you pal." Davi said.

"What do you mean?"

"The way she looks at you or doesn't look at you. However you wanna look at it."

"I don't have time for girls right now."

"Why? Are you dead?"

"I've been kinda busy."

"Taking pictures of your friend?"

"Could we get off that subject? I want us to be friends Davi, I want us to trust each other."

"Then be honest with me. If you knew who he was would you tell me?"

Manny didn't answer. He wanted to tell Davi the truth about his father'a death. But he couldn't do that without revealing his secret. Not to mention it would reveal his father's secret about being General Chapuza and that would only crush Davi more.


	2. Chapter 2

After it got late everyone left. As Manny looked for his keys he found a foreclosure letter from the bank. This worried him, his mother had been having difficulty with money ever since Rodolfo died. He found her asleep on the table.

"Mom." He said tapping her. "Mom."

"Oh what Rodolfo?" She said waking up. "Oh my! For a second there I thought I was years ago. Everybody's gone, aren't they? Did they have a good time?"

"I'm sure they did. You okay?"

"Of course. But you go home. And be careful, I don't like that scooter thing you drive around."

"I'm worried about you. You're so alone. And I saw the letter from the bank."

"Oh my. You did? Oh, well. So? I'm a little behind, everybody is." She went to put the dishes away. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about it anymore."

She opened her purse and handed him some money.

"Here kiddo. Happy Birthday. You need it more than I do."

"No, I can't take that from you."

"Yes, you can! You can take this money from me. For God's sake, it's not much. Now take it! And don't you dare leave it here."

Her eyes filled with tears and she began to cry.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I miss your father so much. Can you believe it's been a year since he was taken? Why? Did I have to lose him?"

Manny felt an awful guilt. It was his fault his father was dead and his mother was suffering for it. He'd give anything to take back that terrible night, to stop that mugger, to save his father. But there was nothing he could do.

"You better take the rest of your cake home." She said.

Manny went to take out the trash.

"Hey." It was Frida.

"Hey. You're still here." Manny said. "I saw your billboard on Bleecker."

"Isn't funny? I'm kind of embarrassed."

"Don't be it's nice. I get to see you everyday now."

"I like seeing you tonight Manny."

"Oh boy, yeah." He said gazing at her lovingly.

"Oh boy, yeah what?"

"Nothing."

"Is there something you wanna say?"

"I..."

He was so in love with her he could hardly stand it. He wanted to tell her, to hold her, to kiss her. But every time he thought about telling her the memory of General Chapuza throwing her off the Brooklyn Bridge came back into his mind. She almost died that day, he didn't know what he'd do if she was killed on his account.

"I was wondering in you're still in the village."

"You're such a mystery." She stroked his face. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks."

"Im seeing somebody now."

"You mean, like a boyfriend?"

"Well, I like him. What?"

"Nothing. That's good, you know? Companionship."

"Maybe more than that."

"More?"

"I don't know."

"I'm gonna come see your concert tomorrow night."

"You're coming?"

"I'll be there."

"Don't disappoint me."

"I won't."

She smiled and left. Manny went back to his apartment, his rent was overdue and the landlord took his birthday money. He laid in bed that night exhausted from the bad day he had. The next day Manny went with Davi to meet Dr. Montero.

"Noble Prize, Felix." Davi said. "Noble Prize. And we'll all be rich."

"It's not about the prizes Davi." He said.

"But you need money. You need my company. "

"Who do we have here?"

"This my good friend I called you about. He got me through high school science."

"Manny Rivera, sir." Manny said. "I'm writing a paper on you for-"

"Yes, I know what you're doing here... But I don't have time to talk to students right now."

"Ahem!" Davi said.

"But his company pays the bills, so."

"That's right! That's why I have to take off. Board meeting. But my job is done here, got you two geniuses together." He said leaving. "Good luck tomorrow, Felix. Nobel prize. We'll see you in Sweden!"

"Interesting fellow, your friend." Felix said.

"I won't take much of your time." Manny said.

"Rivera, now I remember you. Your Tonino's student, he tells me you're brilliant. He also tells me you're lazy."

"I'm trying to do better."

"Being brilliant's not enough, young man. You have to work hard." He said. "Intelligence is not a privilege it's a gift! And you use it for the good of mankind."

Manny looked over at a machine.

"So is that it?"

"Yes. My design to initate and sustain fusion."

"I understand you harmonics of atomic frequencies."

"Sympathetic frequencies."

"Harmonic reinforcement?"

"Go on."

"An exponential increase in energy output. You sure you can stabilise the fusion reaction?"

"Manny, what have we been talking about for the last hour and a half? This is my life's work. "

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to question you."

His wife Carmen came over with drinks

"Carmen, our new friend thinks I'm gonna blow up the city."

"Felix's done his homework." Carmen said. "And you need to sleep tonight."

"Did Edison sleep before he turned on the light? Did Marconi sleep before he turned on the radio?"

"Did Bernoulli sleep before found the curves of quickest descent?" Manny said.

"Carmen, I love this boy."

"Manny tell us about yourself. Do you have a girlfriend?" Carmen asked.

"Well...I don't really know."

"Well, shouldn't you know?" Felix said. "I mean, who would know?"

"Leave him alone, maybe it's a secret love." Carmen said.

"Love should never be a secret. If you keep something as complicated as love stored up inside, it can make you sick. " he said. "But if you want to get a woman to fall in love with you, feed her poetry."

"Poetry?" Manny said.

"Never fails."

Hearing this Manny checked out 3 books on poetry and began reading them for hours. After that he went to get ready to see Frida's concert. He put on the best suit he owned, unfortunately it wasn't perfect looking. He went to buy her a bouquet of flowers but he could only afford three single ones. Frida was very nervous and excited about him coming so she made sure to look her best.


	3. Chapter 3

He hurried to where the concert was but there was a car chase and gunfight taking place. One car almost hit him. He sensed it, flipped off his bike, and landed on his feet.

"How'd you do that?" A little boy asked.

"Uh...Work out, plenty of rest. You know, eat your vegetables."

"That's what my mom is always saying. I just never actually believed her."

Manny ran off somewhere and changed into El tigre. He swung after the crooks but they saw him and started to shoot at him. He strung them up by his chains and left them for the cops.

"Hang loose, fellas."

Meanwhile at the concert, Frida was looking for Manny in the audience but saw he wasn't there. She sadly sang her song. Manny pulled up and hurried to get inside. But it was closed, he was too late. He waited outside for her but she didn't speak to him. She just met up with her boyfriend. A handsome young man with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Upset over this he decided to go for swing to clear his head. But in the middle of his swinging he just suddenly couldn't shoot chains anymore.

"Hey! Ahhh!"

He fell right on a nearby roof.

"What was that?"

He tried shooting them out again. Nothing. He also noticed that his belt felt a lot looser than usual. He tried to tighten it but it just stayed loose.

"Weird."

Seeing no other way home he took the elevator. Another guy was riding it with him.

"Cool outfit." He said.

"Thanks."

"Where'd you get it?"

"I made it."

"Looks uncomfortable."

"Yeah, it gets kinda itchy." He said. "And it rides up in the crotch a little bit too."

...

The next day he constantly tried to call Frida but she wouldn't pick up.

"I wanna tell you the truth. Here it is, I'm El tigre. Weird huh?" He was practicing telling her this. "Now you know why I can't be with you. If my enemies found about you, if you got hurt, I could never forgive myself! I wish I could tell you how I feel."

Later that day, Manny went to see Felix's demonstration of his new machine.

"Thank you all for coming." He said. "Now let me introduce my assistants."

He pulled a drape off something revealing liquid metal arms. He attached them to himself and using his mind made them work. He approached the machine and grabbed some tritium.

"Tritium is want is needed to fuel this machine, I would like to thank Davi for providing this for me."

"Happy to pay the bills Felix." Davi said.

"Ladies and gentleman." Dr. Montero said. "Fasten your seat belts."

The machine began to form a strong fusion reaction. Everyone was amazed by it. Suddenly Manny noticed that metal things were being pulled toward it. Eventually everyone else noticed it too.

"Keep calm! It's only spike! It'll soon stabilise."

But Manny sensed danger and ran to change.

"Ladies and gentleman, please clear the room." An assistant said.

The system was highly unstable and larger metal things were being sucked in, including the metal walls.

"We have a containment breach!" Another assistant said.

The fusion broke through and was causing the building to break.

"Felix! Please get back!" Carmen said.

"Shut it off!" Davi shouted. "Shut it off!"

"It will stabilise! It's under control!" Dr. Montero said.

"I'm in charge here! It's my money!"

A metal ton was headed straight for Davi,El tigre quickly swung him to safety.

"This doesn't change anything!" He said hatefully.

Manny swung over to the machine.

"What are you doing?" Felix asked.

"Pulling the plug!" Manny answered.

"No!"

He threw him against the wall. The metal widows shattered, Carmen screamed as a shard of broken glass stabbed her. Dr. Montero heard her and watched in horror as she dropped to the floor dead.

"Carmen!" He cried.

Suddenly the fusion shocked his body causing him to shrink a little and the metal arms to become permanently attached to him. Manny pulled the plugs and shut down the machine. Felix and his wife were rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately there was nothing they could do for Carmen, as for Dr. Montero they tried to remove the arms. But they had a mind of their own and they attacked the staff. When Felix awoke he was horrified by what he was and went off somewhere to hide.

...

"Crazy scientist turns himself into some kind of a monster." Emiliano said. "Write that down. Hey what kind of metal are those arms mad out of?"

"I think titanium sir." His editor said.

"We'll call him the Titanium Titan."

"Chief, I found Rivera." His secretary said.

"Where've you been? I've been looking for ya all morning. We need pictures! You're fired!"

"Chief the party!"

"Oh right, you're unfired! What do you know about high society?"

"Well I-" Manny said.

"Never mind! Tonight, I want you taking pictures of Andre Santiago. He's a local astronaut and my daughter's new boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? But I thought you didn't like Frida dating."

"Yeah, but Andre's rich, handsome, hardworking, and responsible. His perfect for my little Frida."

"Could you pay me in advance?"

"You serious? Pay you for what, standing there? The planetarium, tomorrow night, 8:00."

Meanwhile hiding in the shadows was a devastated Titanium Titan.

"My Carmen's dead. My dream is dead, and these monsterous things should be at the bottom of the river, along with me." He heard voices in his hea telling him something. "Rebuild? No, Manny was right."

But insaneity from the arms changed his mind.

"No! It was working, wasn't it? Yes. We can rebuild it. Make it bigger and stronger than ever! But we need money." The arms put an idea in his head. "Steal it? No, no, no, I'm not a criminal."

However the arms were very persuasive.

"That's right. The real crime would be not to finish."


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Manny went with his mother to the bank to help with the foreclosure.

"That's the social security." Maria told the banker.

"Yes, I see."

"My father's life insurance." Manny said.

"Yes. But I'm afraid it's just not sufficient to refinance your home."

"Oh, but I'm giving piano lessons again." Maria said.

"You are?" Manny said.

Suddenly the Titanium Titan ripped the safe open and started grabbing as many money bags as possible. Manny got up and went to change.

"Manny?" Maria cried. "Don't leave me."

The police ran to stop him but his arms threw them aside. El tigre swung in through the window, the Titan flung money bags at him. El tigre snagged one and threw it back at him.

"Here's your change!"

He grabbed more money and threw it at him. Manny tried to fire a chain but nothing came out.

"Oh no! Come on!"

The Titanium Titan knocked him down and then grabbed him.

"You're getting on my nerves!" He said.

"I have a knack for that."

"Not anymore."

He tried to crush his head but luckily Manny was able to pull two tables toward the Titan which bolted him outside.

"Freeze! Don't move!" The cops said.

The Titanium Titan quickly grabbed Maria and used her as a shield.

"Hold your fire!" A cop said.

"Don't follow me!" The Titan said.

"Mom!" Manny gasped.

The Titanium Titan climbed up a building with Maria as his hostage. The people cried out in fear as they watched this.

"Hand her over!" Manny demanded.

"Of course." The Titan said.

"Easy now."

But he just dropped her.

"Butterfingers." The metal armed man said.

Manny flung his chains down and used them to catch his mother and pull her back up. But the Titan stopped his rescue, luckily Maria managed to grab a nearby ledge.

"Help me! Help me!" She screamed.

"I'm coming!" Manny said.

Manny desperately climbed up to help her but the Titan restrained him.

"Hang on!" He said trying to break free.

El tigre and the Titanium Titan rolled down the building while fighting each other until Manny was thrown into someone's office. The Titan quickly grabbed Maria again.

"Mom! No!" Manny said.

"You've stuck your claws in my business for the last time." The Titan said. "Now you'll have this woman's death on your conscience!"

Using his chains Manny slingshoted himself up to them. The Titanium Titan had a blade behind his back ready to stab the boy. But Maria had seen it.

"Shame on you!" Maria said hitting him with a brick she found.

He dropped Maria. Manny raced after her, grabbed her hand, and used his chains to lower them safely.

"There you go." Manny said.

"Oh thank you!" She said.

"We sure showed him."

"What do you mean we?"

Manny fired his chains and flung away. A bunch of teenage girls gathered up.

"El tigre! Take me with you!"

"No! Me!"

"Take me!"

...

That night at the planetarium party Manny took as many pictures as he could. As he did this he found Davi at the bar drinking like crazy.

"Hey, might wanna take it easy buddy." Manny said.

"Why? It's a party. Wouldn't you be drinking if you lost a bundle on some crackpot, who you thought was gonna take you with him to fame and fortune? Not to mention your friend the cat."

"Not tonight, Davi."

"Every night! Until I find him, it's 24/7."

"Rivera! Rivera!" Emiliano called. "What are you deaf? You think I'm paying you to sit around and sip champagne? Get a picture of my wife and my daughters."

Manny took pictures of Carmela and the twins Anita and Nikita.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." The host ness announced. "May I now present the handsome, the heroic, the delicious, Captain Andre Santiago!"

Everyone clapped as he made his way down the stairway with Frida at his side. Manny looked at them with hurt in his body. He went to talk to Frida outside.

"Hi." He said.

"Oh, you." She said upset.

"Listen, I'm sorry. But there was a disturbance."

"I don't know you. And I can't keep thinking about you, it's too painful."

"Can I get you a drink?"

"I'm with Andre. He'll get me my drink."

"Andre."

"By the way, Andre has seen my show five times. Davi has seen it twice, Maria has seen it, my father has seen it, my mother has seen it, even my sisters! And they hate rock music."

"I-"

"But my best friend, who cares so much about me, can't make an 8:00 appearance. After all this time, he's nothing to me but an empty seat."

She went back to enjoy the party. Manny sat down and began thinking about all the things wrong with his life. Them he was grabbed by a drunk Davi.

"It ticks me off, your loyalty is to El tigre and not your best friend. I find him with my father's body and you defend him cause he's your bread and butter!"

"Take it easy." Manny said.

"Don't act like you're my friend! You stole Frida from me, you stole my father's love, then you let him die! Because you didn't turn in the freak! Isn't that right?"

He smacked him.

"Huh? Isn't that right? Huh, brother?"

He smacked him again. Then he walked off in a drunken rage.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Andre announced. "I just want you all to know that the beautiful Miss Frida Suarez has just agreed to marry me."

Everyone clapped and cheered but Manny felt his heart break into a million pieces. He ran out of the party and spun his belt buckle. He swung from building to building angry and hurt over everything that had happened in the past year. Then he couldn't shoot chains again.

"Oh no! No! Not again! Ahhh!"

He fell into an alley.

"Why is this happening to me?"

He tried to climb up a wall but he fell right back down. He put his hands over his belt, it was now more loose than ever.

"What's wrong with this thing?"

Then just like that the belt just came off. Manny couldn't believe it. He remembered all those times he tried to get it off but it would just be stuck to him, now it finally came off. He fell into a confused sleep when he got home which led to a very important dream.

"Hello Manny." It was Rodolfo

"Dad? You're alive?"

"In heaven yeah, but down here I'm still dead."

"What are you doing here?"

"All the things you've been thinking about Manny, make me sad."

"Can't you understand? I'm in love with Frida."

"I know. You think I didn't know that when I was still breathing?"

"I want a life of my own."

"You've been given a gift, Manny. With great power comes great responsibility."

"But I can't take it anymore. I don't want this."

"I see, Well whatever choice you make just know that I'll always love you and I hope you can still keep the promise you made."

"I've made my choice Dad. I'm just Manny Rivera, I'm El tigre no more."

He woke up after that.

"No more." He said.

He went outside and threw his belt in the trash.


	5. Chapter 5

After giving up his superhero alter ego Manny's life seemed to get a lot better. He made it on time to class, he was able to keep up with his rent money, and he could even work on his art. His grades got better and he made more money while making incredible artwork. One night Manny decided to see Frida's concert and he made it on time. Also because he had more money he could afford a better looking suit and a bouquet of flowers. When the show started Frida was about to sing when she saw him in the audience. She smiled and forgot what she was supposed to be doing.

"Frida!" Her drummer said. "Frida! We're on!"

"Oh sorry!"

She sang so beautifully that Manny got chills. When the concert was over she went out to meet him.

"For you Madame." He said giving her the flowers.

"Thanks."

"You were so wonderful up there."

"You could've told me you were coming."

"I was afraid you'd say don't come."

"You look different."

"I shined my shoes, pressed my pants, did my homework." He said. "You wanna get something to eat?"

"Manny, I'm getting married."

"I always imagined you getting married on a hilltop."

"And who's the groom?"

"You hadn't decided yet."

"You think just because you saw my show, you can talk me out of getting married?"

"You once told me you loved me. Was that true?"

"Manny, it's too late."

"Will you at least think about it?"

"I...I have to go and I'm getting married in a church."

...

"Dear, we agreed to put on a wedding not go into bankruptcy." Emiliano said to his wife on the phone. "Caviar? What, are we inviting the Czar? I am not cheapskate! Of course I want our daughter to have the best wedding but come on Isn't this a bit much?"

"Boss, I got a garbage man here, says he's got something you might wanna see."

"If you have an extraterrestrial'a head in there, you're the third guy this week."

He pulled the El tigre belt out of his bag.

"Where the hell did you get this?"

"The garbage."

"Huh? He must have given up. Well, good riddance I say."

A newspaper the said El tigre no more was printed. As for Davi he was furious that El tigre was gone. He still wanted revenge on him.

"Where are you?" He said.

He was in the middle of having a drink when he was attacked by the Titanium Titan.

"Hello Davi."

"What do you want?"

"Tritium. I need more of it this time."

"More tritium, are you crazy? You'll destroy the city! You're a hack!"

He grabbed Davi and was prepared to drop him off the building.

"Stop! Stop! Alright! Alright! Alright! Put me down. We'll make a deal." Davi pleaded. "Kill El tigre. I'll give you all the tritium you need. On second thought, bring him to me alive."

"How do I find him?"

"Manny Rivera."

"Rivera?"

"He takes pictures of El tigre for the bugle. Make him tell you where he is."

"Have it ready."

He crawled away into the night.

"Don't hurt Manny!" Davi called.

...

When word spread that El tigre was gone crime began to get higher. Manny started to feel guilty about giving up being a hero. Sure the police could stop most of it but there were certain crimes that the cops couldn't handle.

"Somebody help!" A woman cried.

Manny saw an apartment burning down and a couple tearfully calling for help.

"Alisa, the Gomezs can't find their daughter. Have you seen her?" A man said. "Somebody call the fire department! Help! Help!"

"Is anybody in that building?" Manny asked.

"We think there's a kid stuck on the second floor."

Manny ran into the building.

"Hey, where you going?!"

Fire was every where, Manny could hardly see anything and the building was starting to collapse.

"Hello? Anyone in here?"

He heard crying in another room. He kicked the door down and found a six year old girl hiding in a closet.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm gonna get you out of here."

He picked her up and searched for a way out while shielding the girl from the flames. He fell through the floor but he managed grab on to the edge. He tossed the little girl up and she pulled him as he tried to climb back up. And just as the building was about to collapse he made it out with the little girl and handed her to her parents. An ambulance arrived and they helped pump oxygen into Manny's body.

"You've got some guts kid." A paramedic said.

He went back to his apartment and thought about what he should do. The world needed El tigre but if he became a hero again he may never be with Frida.

"Sometimes doing the right thing takes sacrafice." Maria said when Manny came to visit. "That's what your father always said."

"Do you think El tigre should have given up Mom?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"But what if there was something he wanted but he couldn't have it by being hero?"

"Sometimes to do the right thing we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most." Maria said. "But I believe there's a hero in all of us."

"Really?"

"Well, you proved it."

"What are you talking about?" He said nervously.

"You saved that poor little girl the other day. Your father would have been so proud."

"No he wouldn't."

"Sure he would."

"Mom, I haven't been making good decisions lately."

"Well you can either learn from your mistake and make it right or you can just mope about it."

"Thanks Mom."


	6. Chapter 6

Manny stood on top of a high building. He decided to try and see if his powers would come back if he wanted them. He believed that he lost them cause he acted like he didn't want them.

"Here goes nothing." He said.

He took off running toward the edge and jumped into the air.

"Whoo-hoo! I'm back! I'm back!"

But he spoke too soon and fell on top of a car.

"Ow! My back! My back! Oh that's gonna hurt in the morning."

He pulled himself up and went home to find a first aid kit. Once he fixed his wound he decided to organize some of his paintings. He found one in particular that he thought would make a perfect gift. So he put in a box, wrapped it in white wrapping paper, and tied a gold ribbon on it. After that he mailed it

"Honey, you sure you don't want to invite your friend, the photographer? Manny Rivera?"

"Positive."

"I thought he was your pal."

"He's just a great big jerk."

"Well, the world's full of great big jerks."

"You're adorable."

"It's just the uniform."

"Besides I don't think Manny really cares for me anymore, I bet he doesn't even think of me that much."

"Speaking of Manny, he sent you a wedding gift."

"He did?"

He handed her the gift. She unwrapped it and thought about what the gift was going to be. It was the portrait Manny had drawn of her. She gazed at it surprised, that he still had it.

"Pretty picture." Andre said. "I didn't know he was an artist."

He leaned back and hung his head over. Frida leaned over and kissed him. The kiss made her think of the one she had with El tigre and how it was similar to a kiss she had with Manny. Curious, she called Manny and asked him to meet her at the cafe.

"Hiya." He said.

"Surprised?"

"Very."

"Thanks for coming."

"Everything okay?"

"You might say so. You know how our minds play tricks on us."

"Tell me about it."

"Well, mine did a real number on me."

"What do you mean?"

"Kind of hard to explain." She said. "I thought about it when I got the gift you sent me."

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, I didn't know you drew that just for me." She said. "You confuse me. One minute you're not there and the next thing I know you're here saying you care for me."

"Frida, I tried to be there for you but I can't. I'm sorry."

"Do you love me or not?"

"I...Don't."

"You don't." She sighed. "Kiss me."

"Kiss you?"

"I need to know something. Just one kiss."

They leaned in close, there lips were just about to touch when Manny for the first time in weeks sensed danger. He grabbed Frida and jumped to the floor as a car came crashing through the cafe window. He shielded her from the broken glass that fell on them and the car missed Manny by the skin of his teeth. They stood up and the ground began to shake.

"What's happening?" Frida asked.

The Titanuim Titan walked toward them scaring away everyone else in his way.

"Manny Rivera and the girlfriend." He said.

"What do you want?" Manny asked.

He gabbed Manny and glared at him.

"I want you to find your friend El tigre, tell him to meet me at the Westside Tower at 3:00."

"Well, I don't know where he is."

"Find him!"

He eyed Frida and his metal arms tried to pinch her.

"Or I'll peel the flesh off her bones." He threatened.

"If you lay one finger on her-"

"You'll do what?"

He smashed him against the wall and knocked some rumble on him. Then he snatched Frida with one of his metal arms and carried her away while she screamed for help. Manny overcome with anger burst through the rumble and threw it off himself. He gripped his fists as he realized how strong he had suddenly become.

"Go save her Mijo." His father's voice said in his head.

...

"Mr. Suarez! Mr. Suarez!"

"What is it Tito? I'm busy." Emiliano said.

"The Titanium Titan just ransacked the local cafe and he took your daughter."

"Frida? Oh no! Not my little girl!" Emiliano said. "Do you know where he's taken her?"

"No sir."

"This is my fault! I drove El tigre away and now I'm going to lose my Frida."

Manny slipped into the bugle office when no one was looking and put his belt on. It automatically attached itself to him. He smiled and spun the buckle. A roar was heard, everyone in the bugle went back to the office. All that remaineded was a note that said: Courtesy of El tigre.

"He's back!" Emiliano gasped.


	7. Chapter 7

El tigre swung to the Westside Tower as fast as he could. The Titanium Titan smiled as he saw him coming.

"Where is she?" Manny growled.

"Oh, she'll be just fine. Let's talk."

Manny jumped on him and they began to fight. The Titan pushed him off the tower but Manny pulled him down with him. They landed on a moving train. The passengers watched in fear as they fought. The Titan grabbed El tigre and smacked him against the train windows, Manny responded by kicking him in the face and nailing him on to the tracks. The Titanium Titan plunged his arms into the train and grabbed two people. He threw one to the right and the other to the left. El tigre quickly caught them and placed them somewhere safe.

"You have a train to catch." The Titan said sabotaging the brakes.

"Help!" The conductor said. "Help! I can't stop it!"

Manny sensed an unfinished train track up ahead. He went to the font of the train.

"Oh my God! This is it!" The conductor said.

"Tell everyone to hang on!" Manny said.

"Brace yourselves!" The conductor said.

Manny fired a chain from each of his wrists and hooked them to a strong building on each side of the train. Using all his strength he tried to force the train to stop. His body burned as he held on for as long as he could but luckily the train stopped. However the force from this had knocked his mask off and made him so exhausted that passed out. The passengers helped him into the train and laid him down.

"Is he alive?" A woman asked.

"He's just a kid." A man said. "No older than my son."

Manny woke up and realized his mask was gone.

"We found something." A little boy said. He handed him his mask. "We won't tell nobody."

Manny smiled and put his mask back on.

"It's good to have you back El tigre." The boy said.

The Titanium Titan burst into the train.

"He's mine!"

"You wanna get to him, you have to go through me." A man said.

"And me." Another man said.

"Me too." A woman said.

"Very well." The Titan said.

"No! Don't hurt them! It's me you want!" Manny said.

With that he knocked him out and brought him to Davi's house tied up.

"The tritium?" The Titan said.

Davi opened the safe, the Titan took it, and left. Davi grabbed a dagger and approached El tigre.

"If only I could cause you the pain you've caused me. First we'll see who's behind the mask. I can look into your eyes as you die."

He pulled the mask off. He was horrified by who it was.

"Manny? No. It can't be!"

Manny sat up and angrily broke the ropes holding him.

"Davi! Where is she? Where is he keep her?"

"Who?"

"Frida! He's got Frida!"

"No. All he wanted was the tritium."

"Tritium? Oh no! He's making the machine again." Manny cried. "When that happens she'll die along with half Miracle City! Now where is he?"

"Manny. You killed my father."

"There are bigger things happening here than me and you. Davi please I've got to stop him."

"There's an abandoned building in the middle of the river I think that's where they are."

"Thanks." Manny out on his mask and ran to the window but stopped himself. "I didn't kill your father."

"Then how did he die?"

Manny knew that if Davi found out that his father was a dangerous criminal it would destroy him so he had to lie.

"General Chapuza killed him." Manny said. "I was fighting with General Chapuza, your Dad tried to save me and he got stabbed by Chapuza's blade."

"The dead freak did it?"

"I'm sorry. And please don't seek revenge on him because he's dead too."

Manny then jumped out the window and swung away.


	8. Chapter 8

Davi was right. The Titanium Titan was at the abandoned building. He was building his machine again bound and determined not to be stopped. Frida who was chained up to a pole, was not very happy about being kiddnapped and held prisoner.

"Hey! Hey!" She whistled to get his attention. "I'm talking to you! You got what you needed for your little science project, now let me go!"

"I can't let you go, you'd bring the police. Not that anybody can stop me now that El tigre's dead."

"He's not dead. I don't believe you."

"Believe it."

The Titan went back to working on his machine. Manny, who was hiding on the celing quietly crawled over to where Frida was. While trying to think of how he was going to stop this.

"Surprise." He whispered.

She smiled at him.

"I knew you were alive."

"As soon as you get free-"

But the Titan had sensed him.

"I should've known Davi wouldn't have the spine to finish you!" He said.

"Shut it down, Titan. You're gonna hurt a lot more people this time." Manny said.

"Well that's a risk we're willing to take."

"Well I'm not!"

He ran to pull the plugs but the Titan threw him up through the roof. He quickly used his chain to pull himself back down and he landed on the Titan sending them into the water. When they went up the surface, Manny started to punch the Titan in the face repeatedly. The fusion grew stronger and started suck in anything metal including the chains holding Frida. She screamed in bloody terror as she was forcibly pulled toward it.

"HANG ON FRIDA!" Manny shouted.

He gave the Titan one last punch and climbed up to help her. She was pulled right off the pole and almost sucked into the fusion, when Manny caught her hand. He held on to her with all his strength. The chains were sucked off her body and Manny pulled her into his arms.

"Run!" He said putting her down.

The Titanium Titan grabbed him and pulled out a blade.

"Let's see you scurry out of this." He said.

Frida grabbed a stick, snuck up behind the Titan, and hit him on the head.

"Why you little!"

Manny used this as a distraction for him to electrocute the Titan's arms. He shook as the bolts surged through his body and knocked him back into the water. Manny quickly pulled out the plugs but the fusion was still there, sucking in more metal at an alarming rate.

"Now what?" Manny asked himself. He looked over at the Titan. "Dr. Montero."

He pulled his mask off.

"We have to shut it down. Please tell me how."

"Manny Rivera?" He said. "Brilliant but lazy."

"Look at what's happening. We must destroy it."

"I can't destroy it! I won't!"

He grabbed Manny by the throat.

"You once spoke to me about intelligence." Manny choked. "That it was a gift to be used for the good of mankind. A privilege. This things have turned you into something you're not, don't listen to them."

"It was my dream." The Titan said.

"Sometimes, to do what's right we have to be steady. And give up what we want most. Even our dreams."

He looked around at the chaos he had caused. He realized the mistake he had made.

"You're right." He said. "He's right."

He forced the arms to relase Manny.

"Now tell me how to stop it?" Manny asked.

"It can't be stopped. It's self sustaining now."

"Think!"

"Unless... The river! Drown it!" Manny stood up but the Titan stopped him. "I'll do it."

He got up and marched toward the machine. Manny turned around and saw Frida looking at him. Her expression was shocked and her eyes were filled with amazement. Manny put his hand to his face and remembered that he had taken off his mask. Frida smiled at him.

"Wow." She whispered.

He looked up and saw that a large metal wall was about to fall on her.

"NOOOO!" He shouted.

Frida looked behind her and fell to the ground screaming. Manny quickly stopped the wall and held it over them.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." She said back.

"This is really heavy."

The Titanium Titan began to take the machine apart and pull the fusion into the water.

"I will not die a monster!" He said.

The entire building started to fall apart. Soon all of it would be underwater and gone forever.

"Frida." Manny said. "In case we die."

"You do love me." She guessed.

"I do." He said. "More than anything."

"Even when you said you didn't?"

The fusion along with the Titan sunk deep into the river as did the rest of the building. He had made the ultimate sacrifice for the good of mankind. Manny using his strength, threw the wall off him. Then he lifted Frida up and carried her bridal style out of the collapsing building. He made a net or web for them to sit on as they waited for the police to arrive.

"I think I knew." Frida said. "All this time. Who you really were."

"Then you know why we can't be together." Manny said. "I will always have enemies, I can't let you take that risk. I will always be El tigre. You and I can never be."

He brushed her hair out of her face.

"I love you so much but I won't let you get hurt."

The police soon arrived. Manny lowered Frida down using his chain. Andre ran out of the police car and hugged her.

"Oh Frida! Thank God! Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes I'm fine."

She looked back at Manny. They shared one last loving gaze at each other before parting. Then he put on his mask and swung away, sure that he would never see her again.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day was Andre and Frida's wedding. She stood in her dressing room, wearing her wedding dress and veil about to become Andre's wife. The wedding march started, everyone waited for the bride to walk down the isle but instead her bridesmaid came down with a note for Andre.

"Call Debra." Emiliano said.

"The caterer?" Carmela said.

"Tell her not to open the caviar."

Frida happily ran toward Manny's apartment much to the confusion of other people. Manny could hear the wedding all the way from his room with his super hearing. He wasn't sure if he could bare to listen to the I do's.

"Hey." Frida said.

He stood up and looked at her surprise.

"Frida, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't do it." She sighed. "I love you Manny and I know there are going to be risks but I wanna face them with you and someday I'll get married again but this time to a different groom."

Manny looked at her dumbfound.

"We'll say something."

"Thank you, Frida Suarez."

Their lips joined in a passionate kiss. Manny wrapped his arms around her waist while her arms came around his neck. He purred contently as they kissed. Suddenly they heard a police siren and gun shots.

"Got get em tiger." Frida said.

Manny spun his belt and jumped out the window. Frida watched him while smiling.

"Mrs. Frida Rivera." She thought. "Nice ring to it."

Manny happily stopped the villains and returned the stolen money. He had a feeling that things were going to be a lot better from now on. He landed on a building and looked at the city. El tigre was here to stay forever and Manny Rivera was going to spend the rest of his life loving Frida Suarez.

"Whoo-Hoo!" He said swinging off the building.


End file.
